"Finally, over here is my room." Ash said with a smile, gesturing to his basic bedroom. He was in the process of giving N a tour of Rocket Headquarters, the non-important and un-restricted parts of it, of course. N 's eyes wandered.
Taking in the sparse furniture and bland colors, N frowned. "That's it? Where's the rest of it, if you don't mind me asking." Still comparing the entire building to that of Plasma Castle, the boy could see exactly why Ash's father had made a financial meeting with his own. Ash continued smiling despite the rude comment.
"Yes, that is it. Practicality sometime beats the need for any other distractions." he snapped in a polite tone, not that N caught the jibe. N begrudgingly excepted the answer, scanning the room once again. His eyes lit up as he came inside the room, practically sprinting over to where the egg lied in it's incubator on Ash's nightstand. N shook with excitement, hovering over the egg.
"T-This is a Pokemon egg?" N would later curse himself later for stuttering, but was much too engrossed in ogling the egg to care now. He'd never seen a Pokemon egg in real life, the closest being newly born Pokemon. The thought of a not yet born Pokemon in the egg gave him shivers.
"...Yes, it is. Please don't touch it, it's fragile." Ash said reluctantly, though that did nothing to stop N who gently touched the glass of the incubator. N concentrated briefly, never before trying to read the hearts of the unborn. He heard nothing, unfortunately, though that wasn't to be unexpected. Ash shifted uncomfortably. "So...what do you feel like doing until our dads are done?"
N didn't respond right away, frowning slightly. "I think you should get something on that. It hurts, doesn't it? I'll apply a bandage, if you want." N couldn't help himself from pointing out the slowly bruising mark on Ash's face. As for the offer to patch Ash up, N didn't think helping a human's wounds was much different then a Pokemon's.
"Ah, yeah, sure. The first aid kit is in the bathroom, I'll be right back." Ash walked into his room's adjoining restroom, shuffling through drawers. N took a seat on the other boy's bed, staring at the incubator. He wondered what Pokemon was contained in the egg. A Pidgey or a Rattatta? A Pikachu(1) or a Caterpie? N didn't know many Kanto Pokemon, but he knew those four to be fairly common in the region. Ash returned during N's musings, watching the other boy quietly, taking the healing balm and bandage from his first-aid kit.
N jumped at the sound of the medical box clicking shut, turning quickly to the boy who now sat in front of him. Embarrassed, he took the ointment and began the process of treating the wound. Awkward silence filled the room as N continued his work on the younger boy, staring as the other didn't even flinch from his prodding fingers. N decided as long as he was in this insufferable boy's company, he might as well make the best of it.
"So... What kind of Pokemon is in the egg?" N didn't know much else but Pokemon for a topic to talk about. Ash perked up at the words, and smiles as much as he could given N's hands.
"I'm not entirely sure, but I have a good guess. My teacher gave me that egg, so..." Ash trailed off, looking down as N finished his work. The older boy put the extra of the materials back in the box.
"I'm pretty sure it's a Riolu, but I could be wrong." N looked wide eyed at the unfamiliar name.
"A Riolu? Is that a Kanto native?"
"No, it's actually from Sinnoh. My teacher is from Sinnoh as well."
"You mentioned your teacher before. What exactly does he teach you? Academics?"
"That's..." Ash didn't continue that train of thought, looking up and smiling. N frowned, annoyed. Just his luck that the younger boy went back to being his quiet, fictitious self. The door to the room suddenly opened, revealing Riley who smiled at the two boys.
"Riley!" Ash hopped off the bed, rushing to greet Riley. The man smiled, ruffling Ash's hair and causing the boy to grin boyishly. N, seemingly forgotten by the youngest in the room, blinked in surprise. What had happened to the polite, nauseatingly bland boy from before? Replacing him, with a happy feeling surrounding him, was a excited emotion filled child that looked truly happy to see the older man.
"Are you OK, Riley? I know Dad can be a bit harsh sometimes." Ash asked, looking over the man for injuries.
"That's what I should be saying to you." Riley scowled, thinking back to their incident in the hallway. He noticed the decently applied bandage on Ash's face and tilted his head. He'd seen the boy treating his own wounds, and no matter how many times Riley had showed him, and how many times Ash had practiced, Ash was slightly below average at best. He glanced at the green haired boy on the bed who stared intently at Ash. Had he...?
"I'm fine. N helped me."
"I see." Riley smiled as he walked towards the bed. N looked questioningly at the man, and stared. "My name is Riley Gen. I'm Ash's teacher and friend. And you are...?" N frowned. Ash had just said his name, but Riley had either ignored it, or hadn't cared. He gave his name anyways.
"My name is Natural Harmonia Gropius, but you may call me N."
"N? Why not Natural?"
"Because."
Ahh. The mind of a nine year old, Riley thought to himself. But with a name like Natural, he couldn't blame him.
"So... The two of you become friends yet?"
"I wouldn't go so far as to call us 'friends'."
"Really now..."
"..."
"..."
"..."
"So... Ash says that egg used to be yours?" N asked quietly.
"Ah! Yes, well, my Lucario is the proud father of that egg! It's customary for the students to have a compatible partner through the training process."
"Come again?"
"Ah, nothing. Just the ranting of a middle-aged man, that all!"(2)
"You don't look older than twenty-five."
"Aw, you flatter me N!"
"It was just a observation."
Riley grinned as he came to the egg, taking it out of the incubator and cradling it against his chest. Ash hovered anxiously behind him, ready to dive to the egg's rescue if something were to go wrong. N wasn't much better, hands twitching.
"You know, If you listen closely, you can hear it's heartbeat."
"Seriously!?" The two boys blurted in unison, looking surprised at one another.
"Ah. You've never seen a egg before?" Ash assumed.
"No. You haven't either?"
"No. But I really love Pokemon, so I guess I'm kinda overreacting, huh?"
"Not at all! The closest I've ever been to a egg is through my books, I think there's plenty to be excited by!" N gushed, leaning into Ash's personal space in his glee.
"Really? You don't think it's...weird?"
"Of course not! Pokemon in all stages of life are precious! No matter their type, all of them are special! I mean, what could be more wondrous and perfect then Pokemon?"
"Yeah... yeah, they are great, huh?"
As the two beamed at one another, ranting and telling stories of the Pokemon they'd met and seen, Riley watched with a smile. The tense atmosphere had vanished in a instant once talk of Pokemon occurred. Both boy's eyes with lit with the wonder of Pokemon, and smiles were abound.
"Don't you ever wonder why Pokemon exist? They live fine on their own in the wild, but they're used by humans. Don't you think that's wrong? Especially when they're used and abused by those trainers." N said with a huff, looking very passionate in his words. Ash stilled for a moment, thinking back to where he'd witnessed the abuse Rocket Agents and his father had made to their own Pokemon. He frowned, nodding slowly.
"I never thought about it that way... and I guess you're right, but-"
"But what? You're saying Trainers are right? That Pokemon should be used by humans? Extorted until injured, and then thrown away?" N's higher vocabulary appeared in his intense talk, narrowed eyes staring into Ash's. Riley gulped silently, wondering how exactly their light, happy talk had escalated into the manner of bad trainers.
"No! I never said that! I just mean... I just mean, not all trainers are bad..."
"Really? Have you ever seen a Pokemon that wasn't confined in a Pokeball, or made to battle and preform for a human's whims? It's absolutely disgusting, and degrading to the Pokemon."
"But, Riley is a trainer, and Lucario never seem to be unhappy."
"They may not look like they are, but you can feel it in their hearts."
"Their hearts...?"
N got off the bed, standing in front of Riley firmly. "Your Lucario. Can you show it to me?"
Riley blinked before nodding, grabbing the lone Pokeball on his waist, letting loose in a flurry of light, the jackal-like Pokemon, Lucario. Lucario looked around briefly, recognizing his partner and his apprentice, before focusing on the strange green haired boy. N stared into red eyes, nodding at the Pokemon.
"Oh. So you were raised by Riley?"
"Umm, yeah I-" Riley was cut off from his response.
"He's not a bad trainer? You both help one another grow, and he's really family more than your owner... He's always kind even when he becomes serious..." N spoke to himself, Lucario making approving calls.
"Raa!"
"Ah. I see. Thank you for speaking with me, my friend." N turned away from the Pokemon, meeting the stunned faces of Ash and Riley.
"N, you can talk to Pokemon?!"
"...You could call it that."
The room was silent, and Ash shook from where he stood. He was worrying N just slightly, who didn't usually show his ability outside Plasma Castle, Ghetsis's orders.
"THAT'S SO AWESOME!" Ash glomped N, making the two boys tumble to the ground. Ash laughed, sitting atop N's chest. "Hey, can you talk to all kinds of Pokemon? Is it just some kinds? Are Pokemon nice to talk to?" Ash bombarded N with questions, overwhelming the boy. N, for once in his life, struggled to form words.
"W-Well...Umm...I..."
"You're so cool N! You're so much cooler then I thought you'd be! I was totally expecting some stuck-up kid who'd preferred business things over Pokemon, but your not that at all! You're awesome N!" Ash praised, bouncing and grinning down at the older male.
N didn't know weather or not to be insulted or flattered, but he was more concerned about the boy hindering his breathing. Riley looked sheepishly at Ash.
"Umm, Ash, you should probably get off of N right about now..." N gave gasping breath as a agreement.
"Ah! Yeah, sorry N!" Ash hurridly got of of N, letting the other gasp for oxygen. Ash stared.
"You're pretty weak, huh N?"
"I-I'm not weak! You're just heavy!"
"Nuh-uh! I'm average!"
"I beg to differ!"
While the two fought, and Lucario tried to calm the two, Riley chuckled to himself. It was the first time he'd seen Ash truly act like a child, and as he continued his laughter he effectively interrupted the other two's banter.
"What's wrong with him?" N prodded Ash's arm.
"Who knows?"
"Adults."
"Yeah."
N didn't know it then, but his vow(3) had been broken the very same day it'd been made.
(1) While I realize Pichu would be the egg's Pokemon if it was from the Pikachu family, N doesn't, so he thinks a Pikachu would come out of the egg.
(2) I'm pretty sure you wouldn't tell your could be enemy's son that you're training your own son to be a super cool but totally dangerous Aura Guardian. Just saying.
(3) CHAPTER 2 REFERENCE.
HEY. LOOK. LISTEN. A UPDATE. (Makes fairy noises.)
Ooh! While writing this, I had a idea for a shipping name for N and Ash! There hasn't really been a commonly understood one for the pairing yet, but I really liked how this one sounded! Idealshipping, get it? Because, not only do the both wish for the best for Pokemon, but it's also the ideal shipping. Get it? Huh? HUH? HUHHHHH? MAKE IT A THING PEOPLE. A TUMBLR THING. (Flies into the distance.)
Yup. That's it. Toodles!~